Memories of the Sun, CBG

I am constantly taking photographs of flowers and gardens. It is a passion
that evolved from requests from my father and grandmother. They used the images for their art, and now I use them for mine. Family trips frequently included stops at gardens. We are fortunate in
Chicago to have many extraordinary gardens within a relatively short distance.

One of my favorite destinations is the Chicago Botanic Garden. I have some
wonderful shots of sunflowers, the main subject in this series, taken there. When my brother requested that I create a print for his pediatric medical office, I chose this subject. The flowers are
big and bold in life as they are on paper. His office walls were yellow, so I reversed the petals and highlights.

Paper selection at Graphic Chemical in Villa Park transformed me back into
a kid in a candy store, delighting in the touch of the varied textures of paper available. The size of the block was a challenge. A 60-meter roll of Kozuki paper was necessary to accommodate the
width. Resourcefulness allowed my confidence to grow as a printmaker.

Later, when my brother’s family moved into a new house, “Hawaiian Style” in
this series became the natural housewarming present.

Immediately upon scheduling my solo show at Elmhurst Artists’ Guild, I knew
that I would print the rest of the ‘flower’. Like the anticipation of the reveal of ink from block to paper, I have waited for the exciting moment to share this ensemble of four prints becoming one
in this gallery.